Paper cleaning device



June 3, 3937. c. J. MERRILL 2,62,411

PAPER CLEANING DEV-ICE Filed Aug. 20, 1955 'F Z w I Car/e Merr/Y/ /NVEN7'0R @MNvgEMm/ Patented June 1, 1937 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PAP/EB. cmame DEVICE cal-1s Merrill, Portland, Maine Application 11 20,1935, Serial No. 37,088

' Claims. (01, 14)

This invention relates to a machine and method for removing particles of dirt or other foreign material from the surface of a finished web of paper or other similar material. It is primarily 5' designed for cleaning a web of coated paper and while it will be discussed in this connection this is not to be held as limiting but rather as a specific example of application.

Highly finished paper, particularly that which has had applied to its surface a coating material collects dirt and other foreign material on its l surface requiring that this be removed before it has become embedded in the surface of the sheet or in the coating material or otherwise mar or 15 injure the finished surface.

The use of highly finished papers such as are used for the printing of intricate cuts, frequently in color, requires that the type be kept perfectly clean and any surface dirt or other foreign ma- 2 terial on the paper fouls the type, electroplate, and other ink covered surfaces greatly injuring the quality of the printing and necessitating frequent cleaning of the printing equipment.

It is the purpose of the present device to '5 remove this surface dirt before'it has marred or injured the sheet and to eliminate smudgy or defective printing by this dirt adhering to the type or other printing surfaces; and also to provide a device which is simple and which will not interfere with other operations or the handling of the web ofcoated paper. J

I am aware that a cleaning apparatus has been devised particularly forthe cleaning oi'rugs and carpets where both air jets and suction have 35 been employed. I am also aware that air and suction combined with other means have been used for the cleaning of metal plates and other similar materials. None of these devices, however, used either. individually or in combination 40 would suflice for the cleaning of a sheet of coatedpaper or in any way perform the functions herein described; Any rubbing action or contact with a sheet cf'highly finished paper either in the form of moving it across the cleaning nozzles or .past

'45 brushes or scrapers would not only be entirely inadequate-as a, cleaning means, but would inlure the sheet to a very great-degree.

I Other means have been disclosed for removing dirt from paper by means of brushes, scrapers 50 or wipers but these methods have the disadvantage of contributing to sheet injury by the rubbing action of the removing mechanism itself. I employ no such methods in my device and remove the surface dirt by properly controlled and 56 directed air Jets and passages, combined with the mechanism for bringing and maintaining the sheet in proper relation and position respective to these jets and passages.

As illustrative of this machine and method reference is made to the following drawing-- 5 Fig. 1 is an end view of the machine with the air cleaning passages shown in section. The full line shows the sheet 'or web in cleaning position. The dotted line shows the position of the parts of the machine and ofthe web when it is inserted 10 into the machine. I

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine. Fig. 3 is a side view of the air suction deflectors. Fig. 4 is a sectional view through the air suction deflectors. 16

In Fig. 1 the rolls l and 2 are shown guiding and holding the paper in cleaning position relative to the air jets and passages, the paper web being shown at 1.

The dotted lines on Fig. 1 show these guiding 20 rolls in'the position for inserting the web into the machine, the web in this instance being designated at 1a. It will be seen that ample space is provided for the insertion of the web and that it-is unnecessary to pass it through restricted 2 openings which would consume time and subject the sheet to possible injury.

The movement of the guide rolls I and 2 about the pivot 3 also permits their being brought into close proximity and position relative to the air cleaning passages, not only permitting that the rolls be adjusted accurately to the closest and.

- most efiiclent cleaning position but also insiu'ing that they be maintained in this position throughout operation.

.The rolls I and 2 are mounted in suitable bearings mounted in arms la and 2a. which are fixed to a common hub and rotate about a pivot shaft 3. This pivot shaft 8 is mounted in a suitable stand or support l1 carriedby a base It. The 40 base I! extends the entire width of the machine. there being two supporting stands l1, one at each end.

The rotation of these arms and rolls about the pivot point 3 is accomplished by any suitable means. As illustrative of a means for accomplishing this result I show a gear segment 4 meshing with a worm'i which is operated by a hand wheel 5. In threading position the arms and rolls are movedcounter-clockwise into the position shown by the dotted lines. In this position the paper web can be passed straight through the cleaning device as illustrated by the horizon-,

.tal dotted line 111. After the web has passed the rolls l and 2 are rotated in a clockwise direction bringing them into the position shown in Fig. 1 and the paper web I in close proximity to the cleaning nozzles.

The cleaning nozzles consist of an air jet nozzle 8 and a vacuum or suction nozzle 9. Air is supplied to nozzle 8 by means of a duct l0 and a fan, or other suitable device ll. Air pressure being maintained in passage l0 passes through the rel0 stricted nozzle or opening 8 at high speed and impinges directly on the surface of sheet 1 passing over roll I in a direction oppositeto'the air motion.

This air passing over the'sheet at high speed and through a restricted and accurately proportioned passage removes any dirt or other foreign matter which may be present on the surface of the sheet and this air and dirt is drawn through nozzle 9 into a passage l2 thence passing by deflector vanes 13a. into a suction duct N. This suction can be produced by any suitable means such as fan 55.

It is highly important that the nozzles 8 and 9 be correctly proportioned and that the traveling paper sheet or web 2' be maintained in close proximity to the outside edge of these nozzles but under no condition must the nozzles touchthe sheet. otherwise the sheet would be injured. It is particularly important that a minimum space be provided between the edge of nozzle 9 and the traveling web in order to insure that the dirt which has been loosened by the air in nozzle 8 be thoroughly removed or lifted away from the' sheet and immediately carried away through the passage IE and the suction duct l4.

It is particularly important that this lifting action of the nozzle 9 on the dirt be uniform over the entire width of the sheet. To insure this I provide a properly proportioned and curved 4 passage it which insures a smooth and uniform flow of air through the entire length of the nozzle 9 as urged through the nozzle by the suction in duct It. In order that the air suction in duct it be uniform in the passage l2 and nozzle 9 I provide a plurality of openings l3 and deflectors a,

these deflectors and openings are shown moreclearly in Figs. 3 and 4.

Asthma air and dirt enter the nozzle 9 it continues its motion in substantially the same direc tion passing around the curved wall of space l2 until it encounters the deflectors l3a. It is then deflected in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 4 and enters the duct it being drawn away by the fan or other suitable device l5.

Ifnecessary or desirable the roll I can be provided with a soft or yielding surface which will not tend to embed or firmly lodge any dirt which may be present on the underside of sheet I and before it has been cleaned by the air passages adjacent the roll 2. Such a sm'face is not necessary on roll 2 as *the surface of sheet I in contact with this roll has already been cleaned.

- Where it may be necessary that the air used to remove the dirt or other foreign matter from the sheet be in itself clean and free from dirt an air cleaner l6 can be used adjacent to fan ll either on the suction side as shown or at any other suitable point. Similarlyif there is sumcient dirt taken from the sheet and discharged by fan I! an air cleaner can be installed to rewrmove this dirt from the air before it is dis--,

charged into the room or elsewhere.

Referring to Fig. 2 which is a plan view of the apparatus, it will be noted that I have shown two' fans, one for purposes of furnishing air pressure and the other for purposes of furnishing air suction. The fan II as I have shown it is the pressure fan and fan I5 is the suction fan each being connected by suitable air ducts to passages l0 and I4 respectively. 5

It is, however, possible to use a single fan connecting the discharge sides of the fan to the air passage ill and the suction side of the fan, pas-- sage M. ,In this case there would be a suitable opening in the discharge side of the fan through 10 which a portion of the air would be discharged outside of the machine. The air passing through this opening would carry off a certain amount of the dirt which might be contained in the air and 'this air would be replaced by the small leakage 5 around the suction nozzle 9 between it and the moving web of paper.

In case it seems desirable to use a single fan and where it is necessary or desirable that the air itself be free from dirt prior to being impinged 20 on the sheet, an air cleaner may be placed between the single fan and the air duct to which would remove all dirt from the air being blown over the web of paper not only that which might be contained in the air itself but also that which was recirculated by the fan taking its air from suction duct H. A small quantity of air would be discharged from the pressure side of the fan to insure that adequate suction was present over the entire length and area of the suction nozzle 9.

The use of fans for'air pressure and air suction is merely illustrative as well as their general arrangement in connection with my machine and must be interpreted as simply illustrative of 35 one method by which I may obtain a supply of air for my purpose.

Similarly, while I have shown a particular type of mechanism as applied to the cleaning of a web of coated paper this is simply illustrative of my 40 method and I do not limit myself thereby to any specific method or arrangement of equipment.

What I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. In a machine for surface cleaning, the com- 45 bination of a roll around which the material to be cleaned is passed, an air pressure nozzle, an

. air suction nozzle arranged in proximity to the air pressure nozzle so as to carry off air blown therefrom, and means to move said roll and the 6'0 material thereon into proximity to but out of contactwlth said nozzles. and to hold the same in said position.

2. In a machine for cleaning the surface of a travelling web of paper, the combination with 55 air pressure and air suction cleaning mechanism arranged so as to operate on both sides of said web, of two rolls for guiding the continuously moving web of paper, means for maintainin these rolls in a fixed position relative to each 60 other and means to move both rolls and the moving web of paper into proximity to but out of contact with the air pressure and air suction cleaning mechanism, whereby both sides of the paper web may be cleaned. 65 3. In a cleaningmachine, the combination of a roll having a relatively soft surface, an air pressure nozzle, an air suction nozzle, a second roll having a relatively hard surface, a second air pressure nozzle and an air suction nozzle, each of =70 said air suction nozzles being arranged in direct proximity to its respective air pressure nozzle so as to carry off air blown therefrom, a structure in which both rolls are mounted, a pivoted shaft located between the rolls and about which the -78 roll mounting structure may be moved, and means 5 pressure and suction nozzle.

4. The, combination of a roll suitable for guid ing a moving web of paper, an air pressure nozzle,

an air suction nozzle arranged in proximity to the air pressure nozzle so as to carry ofi air blown 10 therefrom, said nozzles each covering the entire width of paper passing over said roll, an air suction passage, a. plurality of openings formed in a wall of said air suction nozzle and a plurality i of deflectors on an interior wall of said air suction nozzle adjacent said openings between said air suction passage and said air suction nozzle for efiecting a substantially uniform suction over the entire width of the web, and also to change the direction of dust particles into said air suction ncmle. 5. In a cleaning machine the combination of two rolls over which a. moving web of paper is passed, one side 01' said webjbeing in contact with v one roll and the other side of said web being in contact with the other roll, an air pressure and suction cleaning mechanism arranged to operate on both sides of the paper web, the suction cleaning mechanism beingarranged in proximity 'to the air pressure mechanism to carry oi? sir blown thereby, and means to move each of said rolls and the material thereon into proximity to but out of contact with said air pressure and air suction cleaning mechanism whereby both sides of the moving web are cleaned. 

